different between breastwork vs bridgework

English

Etymology

breast +? work

Pronunciation

Noun

breastwork (plural breastworks)

1. A fortification consisting of a breast-high bulwark; a parapet.
2. (nautical) A railing on the quarter-deck and forecastle.
   • 1878, J. W. King, Report of Chief Engineer J. W. King, United States Navy On European Ships of War and Their Armament, Naval Administration and Economy, Marine Constructions and Appliances, Dockyards, etc., etc., Washington, p. 287, [2]

     The Independencia is a two-turreted, breastwork ship of 9,000 tons displacement. […] The central breastwork is 130 feet in length at the top of the belt, and extends to the upper deck, 11 feet above the water-line. This breastwork incloses the boiler and engine hatches, the scuttles to magazines and shell-rooms, the principal openings for ventilation, and the two turrets.

3. A parapet.
   • 1922, James Joyce, Ulysses Episode 2

     A swarthy boy opened a book and propped it nimbly under the breastwork of his satchel. He recited jerks of verse with odd glances at the text:

4. (slang) Breast augmentation.

Translations

English

Etymology

From bridge +? -work

Noun

bridgework (countable and uncountable, plural bridgeworks)

1. (dentistry) A partial denture that is anchored to existing teeth.
   • 1941, "Sullivan's Travels":

     Just think. If you were some big shot like a casting director or something, I'd be staring into your bridgework, saying, 'Yes, Mr. Smearkase; no, Mr. Smearkase; not really, Mr. Smearkase. Oh! Mr. Smearkase, that's my knee!'

2. The construction or repair of bridges.
3. The component parts of a bridge.

Translations

References

• “bridgework”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.